Wide Bay LNP member 'misused police resources'

A SENIOR member of the LNP has been accused of misusing police resources to investigate potential party candidates.

A police ethical standards command investigation found former LNP Wide Bay Regional chair Llew O'Brien, a serving police officer, had "inappropriately accessed Queensland Police Service information pertaining to two Liberal National party pre-selection candidates for the seat of Nanango prior to the 2012 state election".

The police investigation was initiated after legally surpressed information about retiring LNP Member for Gympie David Gibson was revealed publicly during what became a preselection battle for the seat.

It was launched in December 2013 and completed in October 2014. A letter from the Queensland Police Service to Mr Gibson at the completion of the investigation says Mr O'Brien faced "managerial action" from the police service over the substantiated claims regarding Nanango.

*Mr O'Brien said he could not comment on the matter, as it was operational, but no adverse finding had been recorded on his police record following the investigation, adding he was cleared of the other allegations which had been made against him.